Ludlow’s oldest pub, The Bull Hotel, was closed this week after landlords Michael Ashton and Liam Bufton left town before the outcome of the pub’s late licence review.
Residents nearby had reported a loud party last Saturday night, three days after the review hearing.
Broken glass littered the courtyard on Sunday and was not cleared away, the pub’s windows were papered over and no-one is answering phone calls.
The review decision was announced on Wednesday, but rumours that the landlords had left were already circulating at the weekend.
Neighbour Charlotte Potter said: “It was Saturday night they had the party.
“Our sons came up to visit and went to the pub and the landlords were saying, ‘it’s our last night’, there were balloons and everything.”
Ludlow councillor Graeme Kidd said: “The licensees said in the review meeting that they had lost £25,000 on catering and room letting operations, which implies financial problems – which, with the cost of recent refurbishment work, may have come home to roost.”
But Alan Procter, licensing manager at South Shropshire District Council, said Michael Ashton had contacted him last Friday asking if the review decision had been made as they were going on holiday.
Posting on social networking site, Facebook, the landlords said: “Thanks to a few locals and Ludlow Town Council we have been forced to close the business. Watch this space for a statement over the next few weeks.”
The amended licence puts last orders on a Friday and Saturday nights back to 1am from 2am, and the 3am licence for festivals and bank holiday weekends was limited to 2am.
All activities in the courtyard must now finish at 10.30pm.
The condition requiring access to St Laurence’s Garden of Rest to be restricted during events has been removed. Any appeals must be lodged within 21 days.